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pak playing 65 tests only, bangladesh and zimbabwe are the only teams playing lesser games in this period

Unless I got my maths wrong or misread the table we'll be playing 81 tests from 2012 to 2019 which is a lot better than expected. Of course this number may increase if the Pak-Ind politicians want to get it on.

Equally I can see some of the Zim and Bangladesh planned series falling away due to lack of interest.

The one thing that annoys me are the 2 test series against the Windies, South Africa and England. Make them 3 and we've got a good schedule with an extra 5 tests (albeit not a great balance - some years are mouth watering others fail to whet the appetite).

Really hope the situation improves at home and we can have some home series at home. Can't see it happening for at least 3 years minimum.

pak playing 65 tests only, bangladesh and zimbabwe are the only teams playing lesser games in this period

Pakistan, who have had to play their home series at neutral venues in recent times due to security concerns in their own country, will host Bangladesh and Australia in 2012, and South Africa in 2013. They will play 88 Tests in total till April 2020.

Last edited by Batman; 29th June 2011 at 23:50.

O man! surely you must strive (to attain) to your Lord, A hard striving until you meet Him.

Overall I'm happy save for South Africa and West Indies comments. India is out of the hands of the administrators and that may or may not change. Interesting that in the FTP certain periods have been pencilled in Pak and India's diaries probably for that ourpose.

Of course this is liable to change - the last FTP had countless revisions.

Seriously though, it's probably because ODI's not only draw bigger TV audiences than the IPL for example, but they also last longer, so there's more potential for selling advertising. I'm guessing that a T20 international would probably have to get close to double the TV audience of an ODI to make the same amount of money from TV.

What's more, Indian fans always do turn out in their droves to watch 50 over cricket, which gives these games an incredible atmosphere. I have never heard of an ODI featuring India in India not being a sell-out.

Of course, excessively long ODI series and too much cricket in general leads to player burn-out, and a serious deterioration in the quality of cricket on offer, but the BCCI doesn't worry about that as long as the millions keep tuning in to keep the sponsors happy.

And this isn't purely a dig at the BCCI, the ECB is every bit as bad in terms of subjecting its players to excessive workload.

Pakistan should play tests with australia instead of ODIs. 2 tests will be a good start.

Australia played its required tests against Pakistan in 2010 in England, they won't be playing anymore until they are required in 2014.

Simple economics, pakistan have little sway or power so nobody is going to change their schedule to suit Pakistan, CA are probably planning on resting key senior players for that tour which they couldn't do for tests.

Australia played its required tests against Pakistan in 2010 in England, they won't be playing anymore until they are required in 2014.

Simple economics, pakistan have little sway or power so nobody is going to change their schedule to suit Pakistan, CA are probably planning on resting key senior players for that tour which they couldn't do for tests.

There is no harm in putting forward your case , we played only two home tests (played on netral grounds though). It is all about just trying and if they do not want then we can revert back to odis.

So as per the FTP, we only play 2 Tests in July after the SA series. Thats another 4 months break since we already had a long break in 2012 where we didn't play a test for more than 6 months. Thats ridiculous scheduling! And I must say that the IPL and Champions League are hurting International Cricket (esp Test series) badly as you have to take out almost 3 months (Apr, May, Oct) every year from the schedule of the Test teams so that their players can take part in these lucrative micky mouse leagues! Its a big loss for genuine Test cricket fans!

Our next challenging AWAY Test Series is in July 2016 when we play 4 Test series against England in England. I don't count the away series against WI/NZ as challenging plus home series although very competitive and interesting against top sides is still not as challenging and tough as away series with the same top sides. So the last away series that we played against a top team was in 2010 against England, right now we are playing against SA (in Feb 2013) and our next such assignment is in 2016 July. So basically, just 3 away test against a quality Test sides in 6 years for Pakistan???? And then our players and fans complain that we don't play well away due to lack of test cricket (Esp in away conditions). How on earth will we improve if we are playing away tests against top teams with such a low frequency. Who designed this FTP??? What were they thinking???

How will our batsmen learn to play on the bouncy wickets of Aus, seaming tracks of England and difficult conditions of SA when we play 3 tests in 6 years in one of those countries???? Ridiculoius planning whoever designed this FTP.

I still believe with the right sort of people in charge we can re-develop our relationship with the ECB and the CA. We really need to sit down with our friends in both country's and say "look we are a good side and we want to play you more often , we are a better test side than India or lanka(debateable) so lets formalise an agreement."

Now this does rely on the security situation getting better but I'm confident it will but I have a contingency.

So lets see the PCB should start supporting the aforementioned boards at the ICC fully and start a skills partnership with them. W etrain some of your spinners here in pakistan (easier to provide for security for a handful a year) and you help us with our batsman. start regular development exchanges, then ask for regular series with the two nations. Sooner or later with the decline of test cricket in INDIA and trust me it willd ecline as they just arent producing good test cricketrs anymore, the aforementioned nations will need to keep test cricket competitive.

I still believe with the right sort of people in charge we can re-develop our relationship with the ECB and the CA. We really need to sit down with our friends in both country's and say "look we are a good side and we want to play you more often , we are a better test side than India or lanka(debateable) so lets formalise an agreement."

Reality is boards like CA have made their deals with india for financial reasons first and foremost, it doesn't really matter how good india are in tests right now or in the future CA need a close relationship with india.

I think things will actually get worse as 20/20 becomes a bigger priority for CA, boards like CA will organize less and less test series as the years go on and the ones they do host will be marquee series like the ashes.

The smaller profile series with teams like pakstan/sri lanka/nz/west indies will probably actually decrease in the next 10-15 years.

I don't think any of it will happen, the powerful teams aren't going to hand any power back to the ICC, a test championship has too many variables they can't control and there are no guarantees the big teams even make it in.

The tough thing is, no other board likes dealing with the PCB so Pakistan will always have difficulty scheduling extra series.

That's the thing, and I really really hope and pray this changes in the years to come. Pakistani team has to play atleast 12-15 tests a year to become a #1 side. More exposure is necessary. Lets hope for a change.

That's the thing, and I really really hope and pray this changes in the years to come. Pakistani team has to play atleast 12-15 tests a year to become a #1 side. More exposure is necessary. Lets hope for a change.

Things seem to be much better with Zaka, but things take time.

The other thing is there are three powerful boards in play (SA and Pakistan seem to have a decent relationship):

ECB - After the last tour relations are not good
BCCI - Well
CA - Relations are good but its hard to sell Pakistan to CA when they never win games out here.

The other thing is there are three powerful boards in play (SA and Pakistan seem to have a decent relationship):

ECB - After the last tour relations are not good
BCCI - Well
CA - Relations are good but its hard to sell Pakistan to CA when they never win games out here.

Our last tour to Aus was disastrous to say the least. We lost all 9 games (3 Tests, 5 Odis and 1 T20). Had we won the Sydney TEst and a few Limited overs game , it would have made a difference atleast from our reputation point of view for Oz fans. Anyways, I believe our team has developed since then (esp in Tests) and we will give the Ozs a good run for their money when we play them next in Tests.

I believe our team has developed since then (esp in Tests) and we will give the Ozs a good run for their money when we play them next in Tests.

In Aus?

Honestly i haven't seen anything to think Pakistan would compete, not unless we turn the pitches into turners.

3 pitches with pace and bounce and Pakistan are no hope, Pakistan are very tough to beat in uae but they just aren't up to it in places like SA/AUS even when they got the perfect pitch for their skills in cape town they couldn't get it done.

Honestly i haven't seen anything to think Pakistan would compete, not unless we turn the pitches into turners.

3 pitches with pace and bounce and Pakistan are no hope, Pakistan are very tough to beat in uae but they just aren't up to it in places like SA/AUS even when they got the perfect pitch for their skills in cape town they couldn't get it done.

Australia is not invincible anymore. They are very much beatable. The last series played between Pakistan and Australia was in England, in conditions which suited more to Aus than Pak, and the result was 1-1...I don't think its gonna be that easy for this current Australia team to beat Pakistan!

Australia is not invincible anymore. They are very much beatable. The last series played between Pakistan and Australia was in England, in conditions which suited more to Aus than Pak, and the result was 1-1...I don't think its gonna be that easy for this current Australia team to beat Pakistan!

Teams that have good quicks and can play good quicks are winning in Australia right now, Pakistan aren't in that category.

You can say Pakistan would do well in Australia right now, it's not based on current form or history though it's based simply on what you want to be true.

This FTP is really idiotic PCB should take this in ICC meeting and make some changes why the hell are we touring ZImbabwe n Bangladesh every 18 months............playing them is no benefit specially in the context of ICC test Championship playoff.......

Can someone explain how the qualification system for ICC test championship is fair??

If Pakistan are playing less than 80 tests in the qualification period and teams like India and Aus are playing more than 100 tests, how would it be fair, all teams should play equal no. of matches in qualification period...

Can someone explain how the qualification system for ICC test championship is fair??

If Pakistan are playing less than 80 tests in the qualification period and teams like India and Aus are playing more than 100 tests, how would it be fair, all teams should play equal no. of matches in qualification period...

Its already designed to ensure Eng INd Aus are there in top 4 the last spot will taken by Saffers who infact are no.1 also Pakistan is playing almost 40%of their test games in this period (till 2017) with Zimbabwe n Bangla that means even winning against them gives you no points or very little points in rankings....:sigh

Just wanted to bump this thread as I noticed something in the FTP for 2014.

After the 2014 ICC World T20 in Bangladesh, which ends in April. Pakistan have absolutely no international cricket fixtures until October. May, June, July, and August all empty for Pakistan. And September the window for the CLT20, so no cricket for Pakistan for ~ 5 months.

PCB should definitely look to fill that empty slot, or else the consequences of playing less cricket (especially Tests) reflects in our rankings and the rustiness of our players/team. South Africa have a similar big empty slot during that period, so why not a series against them in summer 2014?

^^T20 world cup beings on 1st wk of April, that means IPL will run sometime between 3rd/4th wk of April to 1st wk of June, and then Saffers have a series with Zim in July.

Unless CSA tries to retaliate for the ongoing shenanigans by BCCI, there is no real window for CSA to organize this tour. And I think the possibility of that happening is very less because CSA makes profit only when Ind, Aus and Eng visit, all other series result in net loss for CSA - guess they have to s**k it up for now at least and continue to negotiate with BCCI, but secretly hope for fall down of current BCCI mgmt.